What do you do if your child tells you they’re being cyberbullied?

Your Child is Being Cyberbullied, Now What?

• Be Calm, Be Caring and Loving

• Don’t Over React – You want your child to feel safe when they come and talk to you about any thing that is upsetting them.

• Validate your child’s feelings. You need to let them know that you are taking what they are saying and the threat seriously. Don’t dismiss it!  Let them know that you are on their side and that you will be there for them to deal with the situation.

• Obtain the facts of the situation.  Get your child’s version of what happened or is taking place.  Ask them to show you the cyberbullying.  Remember that there may be additional facts about what occurred and another side to the story.  As an adult you may have a different perspective on what’s transpired.  Kids may be savvier with technology, but you have more life experience, and life intelligence that may help them.
  

• Check in with your child to see how they are handling the situation emotionally.  Are they depressed, do they feel like the situation is out of control, are they suicidal?  Find a clinician in the field of psychology, (possibly through your pediatrician) immediately if your child is expressing these feelings.  Don’t ignore them!

• Tell you child not to respond to the cyberbully. Responding validates the cyberbully and reinforces their horrific behavior.  It lets them know that what they said/did had the hurtful impact they wanted.

• Copy and save the cyberbullying incident (if possible a recording) to bring into school to avoid the “he said, she said” problem.  Make note of any information that will help to identify the bully.

• Once you have saved the incident, you may delete the comments and block the bully if you can.

• Report the comments/cyberbullying to the website or social network where this occurred. 

• Educate yourself about the cyberbullying laws in your state.  Many states now have laws against bullying that include cyberbullying and electronic harassment.

• Call the school administration and tell them about your concerns in a calm, respectful way.  Being demanding and yelling will not help your child or get you the help you need from school officials to stop the cyberbullying.  Set up a meeting to show them the cyberbullying.  Most schools have policy’s against cyberbullying and many include off campus behavior.
  

•  If your child feels threatened call your local police department, they often have an Online Safety Task Force.